Eastland Co., TX - Bios: James Perry Whitaker
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               JAMES PERRY WHITAKER

James Perry WHITAKER was born in 1855 in Red River County, Texas. He died on
29 Sep 1896 in Rising Star, Eastland, Texas. James Whitaker, a school teacher
and editor of the Rising Star Newspaper was shot and killed during an argument
with George Kornegay, the editor of the rival newspaper. George's defense at
the trial was he thought James was going for his gun, when in reality he was
reaching in his pocket for his pipe. George was found not guilty because the
judge would not allow a lessor sentence and he was charged with first degree
murder, which the jury could not accept. WHITAKER bought the Rising Star
Record from Charles SPANN and renamed it the Rural Light.

James Perry WHITAKER was the son of Robert WHITAKER who fought in the Battle
of San Jacinto and they are both buried in the Rising Star Cemetery. James
donated the land for the Church of Christ in Rising Star.

He was married to Parilee Jane PERRY (daughter of Jack PERRY Captain and
Martha Ann KELLY) on 4 Apr 1877. Parilee Jane PERRY was born in 1855 in
Mobile, Alabama. She died on 25 Mar 1897 in Rising Star, Eastland, Texas.
Parilee died during [ 10 days following ] childbirth, just a few months after
her husband was shot and killed. The children were separated and four (Lena,
Georgia (my Grandmother), Jim, and Perry) went to sister Crosha. Two (Ora Lee
and Beulah Jane) went to brother William, and one (Cora) went to the Masonic
Orphans Home, and later ran away, at age 16. I do not know who adopted Ernest,
the 10-day-old infant, but I know he lived a long time. I am also trying to
find out what became of the 2 oldest children, Adeline and Ada Viola. I have
no records at all for Adeline, but Ada Viola lived a long life.

Crosha WHITAKER was born on 23 Sep 1863 in Red River County, Texas. She and
her husband, Henry Barton Lynes, adopted Lena, Georgia, Jim, and Perry upon
the death of James and Parilee Whitaker in 1897, and the children attended
Stella Friends Academy near Cherokee, Oklahoma. Crosha died on 17 Jan 1952 in
Fort Dodge, Kansas. Crosha married LYNES, a civil war veteran, at the age of
16 (he was 46). At the time of her death at 88 she was the last widow of a
civil war vet. She was buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, Wichita, Sedgwick,
Kansas.

She was married to Henry Barton LYNES on 1 Jan 1880. Henry Barton LYNES was
born on 12 Nov 1833 in Allegany County, New York. He died on 16 Jan 1924 in
Wichita, Sedgwick, Kansas. He was buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, Wichita,
Sedgwick, Kansas.
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